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Christian Seneca claims maiden international title in Nove Mesto

4 July 2026

Nove Mesto, Czechia

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Italy’s Christian Seneca achieved a breakthrough in his para archery career by defeating Indonesia’s Ken Swagumilang to win compound men’s gold at stage two of the 2026 Hyundai World Archery Para Series in Nove Mesto.

Competing in only his third season in para compound archery, the world number 20 completed an impressive campaign with a 141-124 victory in the final, having earlier stunned World Archery Para Champion and world number one Toman Kumar of India 147-143 in the semifinals.

The 51-year-old’s triumph marked the first international individual title of his career.

In compound women, Great Britain’s Jodie Grinham claimed her first title of the season after defeating reigning world para champion Sheetal Devi of India 143-141 in a high-quality final.

The victory also avenged Grinham’s semifinal defeat to Devi at the 2025 World Archery Para Championships in Gwangju.

Devi, who topped qualification with a new Asian record, added compound mixed team gold alongside Shyam Sunder Swami after India defeated Indonesia 147-143.

Earlier, Grinham partnered fellow Briton Phoebe Paterson Pine to compound women’s team gold with a 145-141 victory over Italy.

Payal Nag, the world’s first quadruple amputee archer who won her first senior international title at the opening stage in Bangkok, saw her run end in the quarterfinals with defeat to Devi.

Another Indian youngster, Bhawna, enjoyed a memorable tournament by winning three gold medals.

The 21-year-old, who also completed a triple-gold sweep in Bangkok, edged compatriot and Paralympian . Pooja in a shoot-off to claim the recurve women’s individual title after the pair had combined to win recurve women’s team gold against Brazil.

Bhawna also teamed up with Paralympic Champion Harvinder Singh to secure recurve mixed team gold with a 6-2 victory over Indonesia.

Singh added another medal by finishing runner-up to Italy’s Stefano Travisani in the recurve men’s individual final before partnering Vijay Sundi to victory in the recurve men’s team event with a 6-2 win over Ukraine.

USA Paralympic Champion Jason Tabansky returned to the top of the podium in W1 men. Seeded sixth, the world number one defeated top seed Maurizio Panella of Italy 6-2 to bounce back from his runner-up finish at the opening stage in Bangkok.

Host nation Czechia also celebrated success through world number one Sarka Pultar Musilova, who maintained her unbeaten run by defeating Korea’s Lee Eunhee 7-1 to retain the W1 women’s title.

The reigning world para champion also claimed W1 women’s team gold with Tereza Brandtlova and mixed team gold alongside David Drahoninsky to complete her own triple-gold campaign.

In the visually impaired category, Cyprus’s top seed Christos Misos repeated his victory over Belgium’s Ruben Vanhollebeke from the 2025 World Archery Para Championships final, winning 6-0 to claim the VI1 title.

The 2026 Hyundai World Archery Para Series now heads to Ahmedabad, India, for stage three, scheduled from 5-9 September.